1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video call of a mobile communication terminal. More particularly, this invention relates to a mobile communication terminal that can automatically search for a proper substitute image and provide the substitute image thereto during a video call, and to a method for providing the substitute image for the video call using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of mobile communication technology and terminal manufacturing technology, state-of-the-art mobile communication terminals provide various add-on functions as well as the traditional phone call service. For example, the mobile communication terminal allows a user to exchange images with an opposite party, download moving images from a server, or play on-line games via wireless Internet. Specifically, video call functions are increasingly sought after due to the spread of mobile communication terminals having a high-performance camera. As high-speed data transmission technology, such as High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), etc., is commercialized, it is expected that the amount of video calls use via mobile communication terminals will increase.
In general, a conventional video call using a mobile communication terminal exposes a location from where a user performs a video call, and thus does not protect the user's privacy. To compensate for this problem, a method has been proposed where an image behind a user performing a video call is changed. Or, a method where, instead of transmitting a current image of the video call user, another image that has been previously recorded is substituted and then transmitted thereto, in which the latter method is called a substitute image-transmitting method.
However, the conventional method for transmitting a substitute image is disadvantageous in that a user must film moving images for respective substitute images and store them, or must directly set to record the user's images during a video call and then store them, which is complicated. Also, the conventional method causes an inconvenience to a user because the user must designate ahead of time one of the stored images for a substitute image or must select one of a plurality of images for each video call. In addition, although a substitute image has been designated ahead of time, a user must change a substitute image for each video call.